Philippines Speed Test - Check PLDT, Globe, Converge

International Connectivity

Eight submarine cables connect the Philippines to global networks. The AAG, SEA-US, Jupiter, and Guam-Philippines cables form the trans-pacific backbone. PLCN landed in Baler as part of the government's Luzon Bypass Infrastructure project, the first state-owned cable landing station.

Cable Broadband

The Apricot cable spans 12,000 km connecting Japan, Taiwan, Guam, Philippines, Indonesia, and Singapore with 190 Tbps capacity using 400 Gbps technology. Bifrost went live October 2025, running 20,230 km from Singapore through Indonesia to the Philippines, then Guam and the US mainland.

Converge gained its first direct US link through Bifrost landing in Davao. Meta, Amazon, Telin, and Keppel back the system. This landing in Mindanao reduces dependence on Luzon-based infrastructure.

Fiber Broadband

Domestic terrestrial fiber expanded rapidly. Converge grew from 6 million to 16 million homes passed since 2020, covering major cities across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. PLDT's 18.5 million homes passed gives the widest national footprint. Globe focuses on urban centers and fixed wireless access. The archipelago geography makes fiber deployment expensive outside major population centers.

5G networks cover 102 towns through Smart's 1,114 sites across all 47 provinces, though population coverage remains at 14%. Globe's 5G reaches 99% of Metro Manila and 97% of major Visayas and Mindanao cities. DITO built 5,500 mobile towers with 30,000 km of fiber connecting 600+ cities and municipalities on a full 5G architecture.

Mobile Networks

Airtel deployed 690+ 5G sites across 39 provinces. 4G LTE covers 99% of the population, providing the primary internet access for most Filipinos outside urban centers.

Satellite Internet

Starlink received NTC approval as a value-added service provider in 2022, valid through November 2028. The satellite service fills gaps in islands without fiber or reliable mobile coverage. Two bills seeking a congressional franchise remain pending. The NTC is considering provisional authority while awaiting final franchise approval.

Urban Areas

Metro Manila holds the strongest internet infrastructure with 5+ fiber ISP choices and 5G coverage from multiple operators. Fixed broadband speeds average 108.1 Mbps download in Manila, with Converge delivering 128.2 Mbps average.

Residents choose from Converge, PLDT, Globe, and regional providers with plans from PHP 1,500 (15-30 Mbps) to PHP 3,500 (100 Mbps to 1 Gbps). Peak hour congestion between 7pm-11pm can reduce speeds 30-50% in dense areas.

Cebu City averages 112.6 Mbps fixed broadband, making it the Philippines' fastest major city. DITO leads Cebu with 141.7 Mbps average download. Davao enjoys strong competition with Converge dominating speed, video quality, and uptime.

These three metropolitan areas account for the majority of fixed broadband subscriptions. Secondary cities like Iloilo, Bacolod, and Cagayan de Oro have 2-3 ISP choices with speeds of 40-80 Mbps.

Rural provinces face a sharp digital divide. While mobile 4G LTE covers 99% of the population, typical mobile speeds in rural areas drop to 15-30 Mbps. Fixed broadband penetration remains extremely low outside major cities.

Remote and Underserved

The archipelago's 7,600+ islands make infrastructure deployment expensive. Many small islands and remote barangays depend entirely on 3G or 4G mobile with no fiber option. Satellite internet from Starlink provides an alternative for areas willing to pay higher costs. The government's Konektadong Pinoy law passed August 2025 aims to support small ISPs reaching underserved areas.

PLDT dominates as the incumbent operator with 42% fixed broadband market share and the widest coverage at 18.5 million homes passed. PLDT's fiber plans range from basic tiers to multi-gigabit, though speeds and availability vary significantly by location.

Smart, PLDT's mobile brand, leads 5G coverage with 1,114 sites and the strongest network for games, voice apps, and upload speeds according to Opensignal. Smart recorded 71.6 Mbps average mobile download.

Converge ICT earned Ookla's Fastest Fixed Network award three consecutive years with a Speed Score of 63.46 for H1 2025. Converge holds 30% market share, focusing exclusively on fiber-to-the-home. Plans start at PHP 1,500/month for up to 200-300 Mbps and reach PHP 3,500/month for 1 Gbps.

Converge tripled its footprint from 6 million to 16 million homes passed since 2020, aggressively targeting areas underserved by PLDT. Average speeds tested at 34.2 Mbps in Q3 2025 per Opensignal, though this measures real-world performance across all subscribers rather than peak capability.

Globe Telecom

Globe Telecom holds roughly 20% of fixed broadband through fiber and fixed wireless access. Globe's 5G network covers 99% of Metro Manila and 97% of major Visayas and Mindanao cities. Globe aims to challenge Converge in broadband after years of mobile focus.

DITO Telecommunity

DITO Telecommunity operates as the third mobile operator on a full 5G architecture. DITO won nine of 16 categories in Opensignal's October 2025 report, including best network for video, voice app, download speed, 5G video, 5G download speed, availability, consistency, and reliability.

DITO recorded 55% consistency versus Smart's 46.2% and Globe's 45.1%. DITO offers fixed 5G home internet with capacity for 3.6 million subscribers, though current subscriptions sit at 250,000 with targets of 2 million by end of 2026. DITO's network includes 5,500 mobile towers and 30,000 km of fiber.

Internet costs a meaningful portion of Filipino household income. The average household earns roughly PHP 29,000-30,000 monthly. Converge's cheapest fiber at PHP 1,500/month for 15-30 Mbps takes 5-6% of that income. By comparison, Americans spend 1-2% of household income on broadband. This pricing barrier explains why mobile data bundles remain more popular than fixed broadband for many Filipinos.

Fiber entry starts at PHP 1,500/month from Converge for 15-30 Mbps, dropping from previous PHP 2,000+ baseline as competition intensified. Standard gigabit fiber costs PHP 3,500/month from Converge or PHP 2,999-3,999/month from PLDT depending on area. DITO's fixed 5G home internet targets PHP 1,999-2,499/month for similar speeds. Installation fees typically run PHP 2,500-3,500 including router.

Mobile data offers lower entry points. Smart and Globe sell daily bundles starting at PHP 15-25 for 1-2 GB, weekly bundles at PHP 99-299 for 3-8 GB, and monthly plans from PHP 499 to PHP 1,999. These micro-bundles let Filipinos buy connectivity in affordable amounts. Prepaid dominates over postpaid due to income volatility.

Regional pricing varies little despite speed differences. Metro Manila users paying PHP 1,500/month get 100+ Mbps from Converge, while provincial users may see 30-50 Mbps on the same plan due to infrastructure limitations. Always verify actual speeds in your specific location before committing to long-term contracts.

5G Rollout

5G deployment accelerated across 2024-2025. Smart leads with 1,114 sites covering 102 towns across all 47 provinces, though population coverage sits at just 14%. Globe's 5G reaches 99% of Metro Manila and 97% of major cities in Visayas and Mindanao. DITO operates the only full 5G network architecture, avoiding legacy 3G/4G maintenance costs.

Airtel deployed 690+ sites across 39 provinces. 5G adoption grows through fixed wireless home internet rather than smartphones, as 5G handsets remain expensive for most Filipinos.

Fiber Deployment

Fiber-to-the-home expanded from covering 6 million homes in 2020 to over 34 million homes passed by 2025 across all providers. Converge drove the fastest expansion, tripling its footprint. PLDT maintains the widest reach. Fixed broadband subscriptions remain low relative to population, concentrated in Metro Manila, Cebu, and Davao.

The Philippines is the world's top BPO destination with 2.5 million workers and $37.38 billion in annual revenue, projected to reach $102.37 billion by 2034. Call centers, IT services, and back-office operations demand reliable connectivity. Manila, Cebu, and Davao operate as BPO hubs with backup connectivity and premium SLA plans from ISPs.

Smartphone penetration drives mobile-first internet use. E-commerce, digital payments, and social media consumption run primarily through mobile devices. The government's Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028 prioritizes closing the digital gap between urban and rural areas.